It is known that isocyanates can undergo various addition reactions with epoxidizing agents. For example, Okazaki and Simamura, Bul Chem Soc Japan, 47(8), 1981 (1974) add peroxy acids, such as peroxybenzoic acid to aliphatic and aralkyl isocyanates to produce aryl carbamoyl peroxides.
In view of this, if a meta or para monoolefinic aralkyl urethane was to be treated with an epoxidizing agent, it would be expected that the corresponding monoolefinic peroxycarbamate would be obtained.
It has now been unexpectedly discovered that the products obtained are epoxidized aralkyl isocyanates, in which the olefinic group is converted and the isocyanate groups are unaffected. The novel process produces useful and novel epoxidized isocyanates and both process and products are the subject of this invention.